Vapor heating system



Oct. 12, 1943. C, F, MAHONEY 2,331,407

VAPOR HEATING SYSTEM Filed March 1 1941 mvENToR 'unmfs EHnnoa/fvPatented Oct. 1,2, 1943 2,331,407 VAPOR HEATING SYSTEM Charles F.vMahoney, Baldwin, Long,r Island, N. Y., assignor ,of one-half to ThomasA. Cetrino,

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 1, 1941, Serial No. 381,339

2 Claims.

My invention relates to vapor heating systems, and more particularly tothe class of heating systemsv Where the vapor or steam is suppliedthrough a single pipe to the various radiators, the latter having ventvalves to allow the exit of air, and to prevent the escape of steam orwater or other heating fluids therefrom, in other words to form a zonecontrol system. l

My invention is also an improvement in that type of valves that permitsthe air in the radiators to escape, but as soon as the heating fluidenters, the thermostatic element therein operates to close the same. Theimprovement includes a second thermostatic element that has beenpreviously adjusted for a predetermined room temper- -ature, and isarranged to prevent escape of radiator air while the room remains at thedesired room temperature. This second thermostatic element, as has beennoted, acts to hold a radiator venting valve closed if the room has beenraised to the desired temperature, thus preventing the steam or otherheating fluid from circulating and heating the room to an excessivetemperature.

An object of the invention is to provide a heating'system, whereby asthe fuel burner control system will appear from a. consideration of thedescription which follows with the accompanying drawing showing forpurely illustrative purposes embodiments of this invention. It isunderstood, however, that the description is not to betaken in a literalsense, the scope of the description being defined in the appendedclaims.

Fig. 1 is a view of a vapor heating system showing my invention appliedthereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation with parts in section, a radiator withmy control valve attached.

'I'he heating system as shown in Fig. 1, consists of a boiler I0 withits main fuel burner and pressure control switch II and the forward partof the nose of a fuel burner I2, while extending from the top of theboiler is a single pipe I3 leading the heating fluid to the desiredplace or places; in the drawing three floors are shown or indicatedeachprovided with one or more radiators I4, I5 and I6, and with myimprovements attached. The fuel burner control thermostatic switch unitI1 is connected with starting wire b thermostatic unit operates, thefuel burner will start generating heat. The heating fluid forces the airout'of the radiator if the room is below the desired temperature; theair passes through the first valve element, then through the second onealso; but should the room be at the desired temperature the second valveelement will prevent the circulation of any additional vapor by holdingthe valve closed until the temperature has been lowered.

A further object is to provide an economical, neat compact automaticcontrolling means that will perform its functions for which it wasdesigned withefciency and reliability.

And a further object is to provide independent automatic pressure ortemperature controlled switches to control the complete system andprevent the fuel burner from operating until the heating fluid pressureand temperature has dropped to a predetermined point.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automatic valvesystem that is adapted to be used as a zone heating control one pipesystem; the valve system by its construction and operation will effectfuel saving and prevent over heating, by reason of the several elementsbeing each adjusted so as to insure cooperation with each other toaccomplish the desired effect.

Further aims, objects, and advantages of this lprimary side oftransformer.

and the running wire a, and the wire a is the holding circuit for therelay control switch which operates the fuel burner I2 and c is a returnwire for both the starting and running circuits.

Pressure or thermostatic delay starting switch I8 is a make and breakswitch which effects fuel saving and independently controls the fuelburner by allowing the burner to operate only when the pressure andtemperature of the system is reduced. This control switch is so locatedthat it is heated by the supply pipe I3, which may either pass throughthe switch box I8 or be secured thereto, in other words, it opens onhigh temperature and closes on low temperature. As shown the switch I8is in series with the wire a and thermostatc switch l1. The action ofsaid switch causes the burner to delay until the temperature is reducedbelow the normal. Again, by my new arrangement the device prevents wasteof fuel by control of heating fuel pressure and temperature, and thedevice may be set so as to prevent the burner from operating until anydesired low vapor pressure and temperature is reached.

The action of the circuit control is as follows: The line voltage groundwire passes through limit switch II, to terminal I, then to And the linehot wire extends to terminal 2 then to other side of transformer,completing line circuit for transformer; The secondary Voltage is forthe operation of the relay transfer circuit action, also for closing thehigh voltage circuit to load, be it fuel, coal or other heating means.

It should be noted that the secondary supply wire extends from terminalW, through the thermostat I 'I by wire c, and returns by Wire a, toterminal B, then to starting delay switch I8. and continues to relay andthen returns to transformer secondary coil, and the other Wire tosecondary coll extends to terminal W, completing the starting circuit.The latter actuates the relay closing contacts g, h, e and d. e and dbeing the high voltage circuit to furnace, and g and h is the transfercircuit contacts for the holding or running circuit which is completedas follows: Starting at the starting terminal W. then to the thermostatI1 on the wire c and returning on wire b, to the terminal R, and from R,to contacts g and h, then to the relay, and returning as noted tosecondary coil back to terminal W, which completes the' holding circuit.It will be notedthat operation of the relay for starting, can only takeplace when the delay switch I8, is in a closed position, that after anysupply interruption of the electric current or opening of the limitswitch II, or the thermostat I1 that the second cycle of operation foragain starting must pass through delay switch I8.

It should be noted in this wiring circuit to obtain the delay action asis intended, for instance, for a long delay action according to weatherconditions, to use the thermo capacity of the heating equipment,radiators, pipes, etc., the delay starting switch circuit prevents inthis case a second cycle of burner and heating operation, although thethermostat and other limit control switches are in a closed or startingposition. That a second cycle of operation will take place only when thetemperature of the radiators, pipes, etc., drop to a predeterminedsetting on the delay starting switch. The effect of the above actionsaves many hours of burner heating operation which results in a fuelsaving and improves heating, prevents over riding of heat, and is alsopositive and automatic in its action. Because of the following facts;when the temperature drops the delay period is shortcned, and as thetemperature in or outside of a given building, the delay action time isincreased, and this delay action time period varies between l5 minutesand one hour.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a portion of a radiator is shown at 20 with myinvention attached, the latter comprising a rectangular perforated orwire housing 2I with an insulated partition 22 which divides the housinginto two compartments 23 and 24 thus forming a room thermostatic controlair vent valve (zone control). In compartment 23, I desire to place airvent 25 of any well known manufacture now on the market, said elementhaving the usual connection 26 extending to the radiator through whichthe heating fluid is conveyed into the chamber 21 which contains ahollow cylindrical body 28, which contains a fluid that expands andthereby lifts the valve pin 25 to the port, and on contraction the fluidwill cause the pin 25 to open the valve and permit the escape of airthere from. The bottom of the body 2B which rests on a short pedestal 29having adjusting means for regulating the distance that the body willmove to operate the valve 25 to open or close the port 30. When theheating fluid enters said compartment it will close the port afterhaving for a suitable time permitted the air in the system to escape.

To the top of the valve 25 is secured, a short pipe 3l, which conveysthe air or heating fiuid to its destination. As shown herein, the pipeis provided with a ilaring seat 32 for the valve 33 carried by thethermostatic element 3B comprising suitable metallicstrips that act onbecoming heated or when cooled. As before noted this thermostaticelement while shown in close proximity with the air vent valve 23, maybe placed at any suitable distance therefrom. It is preferable to placethese two units side by side within a perforated or Wire mesh housing 2iwhich may be wholly or partially closed, thus forming a roomthermostatic control air vent valve (zone controlled).

With a housing equipped with room temperature controlled air valves forthe purpose of individual room control heating radiators, the thermostatin any room will operate to complete the required circuit to control theoperation of the -burner motor so as to develop and maintain the desiredsteam pressure in the system. During such operation of the burner, thetemperature controlled air valve permit the escape of air from theradiators as required for proper room heating. In the system justdescribed, the usual steam pressure control means I I will function tolimit the required pressure Within the system and a vacuum breakingmeans for the system such as a spring pressed ball valve indicated at I9in Fig. 1 may be employed to prevent any radiator from creating a vacuumafter condensation takes place. The steam pressure control switch II maybe of any Well known type and is connected in series with the fuelburner motor. In like manner, the thermostatic switch I8 may be of anywell known type and as shown is connected in series with line a andattached to the supply pipe I3, at its further end is a return pipe I9'which will convey any water or condensation in the system back to theboiler, said pipe being provided as noted with a valve I9 for vacuumventing the system.

The control wiring diagram shown in the drawing is similar to that knownin the trade as series #10 of the Ztl/.linneapolis-HoneywellManufacturing Company.

Many changes could be made in the construction and arrangement of parts,and many apparent widely different embodiments of the invention could bemade without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that allmatter contained in the description or shown in the accompanying drawingis as it is now intended to be arranged, but those skilled in the artmay vary this arrangement without departing from the scope of theclaims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.1Zone control means in combination with a steam heat system having aboiler, firing means therefor, radiators, a single-pipe line from theboiler to the radiators, a valved air vent means on each radiator, amaster thermostat control means for the firing means, and a boilerpressure responsive control means for the firing means; atmospherictemperature responsive means in operative connection with each air ventfor controlling air discharge therefrom in accordance with localtemperature conditions, and means responsive to temperature in theheating system for delaying action of the ring means control until theheating system temperature falls to a predetermined point, and means inthe heating system for breaking radiator vacuum following each heatingand subsequent cooling thereof.

2. Zone control means in combination with a steam heat system having a.boiler, firing means therefor, radiators, 4a, slngle-pipe-line from theboiler to the radiators, a vaved air vent means on each radiator, amaster thermostat control means for the firing means, and a boilerpressure responsive control means for the ring means; atmospherictemperature responsive means in operative connection with each air ventfor controlling air discharge therefrom in accordance with localtemperature conditions, and means responsive to temperature in theheating system at a position remote from the boiler for delaying actionof the firing means control until the heating system temperature fallsto a predetermined point, and means in the heating system for breakingradiator vacuum following each heating and subsequent cooling thereof.

CHARLES F. MAHONEY.

